Mechanism for dispensing ingredients



Dec. 25 1923. 1,478,834

L. DONOFRIO MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING INGREDIENTS- Filed July 17. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY -Dec. 25,1923. 1,478,834 y L. D'ONOFRIO MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING INGREDIENTS Filed July 17 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W/ TAIL- s JNVENTOR A TT'ORNEY I Dec. 25,1923. 1,478,834 L. DONOFRIO MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING INGREDIENTS Filed July 17, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Deb. 25,1923. 1,478,834.

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' L. D'ONOFRIO MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING INGREDIENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17. 1920 NL\ l afw m k NM W vw a *QWMV v nm Mm k M W win u m r w v QW illlwlili W m m M A w W lhw Q a M Kw N. a T \& Q

Patented 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

LUIGI DONOFRID, OF, NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING INGREDIENTS.

Application filed July 17, 1920. Serial No. 397,115;

An objectiof my invention is to provide a machine that is relativelysimple and easy to operate, comprises relatively few parts, and is capablepof'giving a large output and of dispensing the ingredients employed in the manufacture of'candies, in, the exact quantities needed and, in the manner required by the conditions of themanufacturing process which the machine is designed to assist.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which. is adapted to be utilized for the manufacture of small candies in large numbers; especially such candies as are made with a core offiavored cordial or syrup encased, in a shell of starch, sugar or other materials; the machine being adapted to deposit the syrup employed in the process in drops of the required size; depositing a suitable number of drops in moving molds provided to receive the syrup, and then supplying to the drops when so deposited a sufficient quantity of powdered starch or the like to enable a shell to form thereon; so that, when the core and shell have been dried out to a sufficient extent,

the whole can be coated with sugar or some other substance to finish same and make it ready to be eaten.

The above and other objects of myinvention will more fully appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings; which disclose the best form of my invention now known to me. I do not of course wish to limit myself to the exact constructionshown herein but reserve the right to changethe size, shape and arrangement of parts, without departingfrom the scope and spirit of my invention as eX- pressed by the broad meanings of the appended claims.

On thedrawings:

Figure 1 isa side view of a machine according tomy invention; I

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same;

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof;

VFigure 4 isa top plan of the mechanism for controlling the discharge of syrup and the discharge of the starch or'other material;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the boiler or reservoir for the syrup, the'same beingtaken lengthwise of the machine and showing some of the partsv for controlling the discharge of the syrup from the boiler; Figure 6-is a section on line 66 in Figure L; I

Figure 7 is a side elevation viewed from 1 top of Figure 4, of, certain parts for controlling the discharge of-the syrup through certain parts of the boiler;

Figure 8 is an enlarged 'sectional View through, the bottom of the boiler taken lengthwise of the machine to show the valve controlled outlet;

Figure 9 is a section view on the line9-9 of Figure 4;;

Figures 10 and 11 are detail views illustrating the bottom of the'boiler and the valve for controlling the discharge of syrup through said bottom; and;

Figure 12 is an end view, in section, of a tray or starch box, that, in the manufacture of candies of the kind above mentioned is filled with starch; in the top surface of which is a number of depressions orpockets to receive the drops of syrupfrom the boiler in the practice of my invention.

The same characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout. 1

As indicated in the drawings a pair of supports 1 ateach end of; the machine hold in Figures ,1 3 and 4. Above these planks 1s a reservoir 3 usually termed a boiler, this boiler being held in position by uprights 4 ,up a pair of planks 2, which are horizontal and are spaced apart'somewhat, as indicated about midway of the planks 2; and beside it is a frame?) which receives a-boX or hopper 6; the latter being intended to be filled with starch and tobe agitated'so-as to shakg the starch through a screened opening in its bottom down upon particlesof syrup which are carried beneath itin a tray 7. This tray isindicatedby broken lines in, Figure 2 and it is also shown in Figure 12. In practice this tray or starch box isfilled with starch,

' boiler and hopper 6 in succession. A motor 12' or any other suitable source furnishes the power by which the conveyer 10 is operated. V

The projections 11 will extend above the level of the tops of the planks 2 and several trays 7 may be operated at the same time by the conveyer; the number only being limited 'by the relative length of the trays and the planks. As each tray passes under the boiler 3, syrup is discharged from the boiler into the cavities 8 over the entire length of the tray; and when the advance end of the tray reaches'the hopper 6 this hopper will be automatically shaken so as to sift starch over the syrup and provide it with a coat which will enable it to dry more quickly and its outer surface to harden. The sifting of the starch down upon the tray 7 will continue until the tray has passed the sifter or hopper 6 and before it reaches the opposite end of the machine towards which it is traveling. When the rear end of the tray reaches the bottom of the boiler the discharge of syrup will automatically stop; and before the rear end of each tray has passed entirely through under the bottom of the hopper 6, shaking or sifting will automatically terminate, and. thus waste of materials is prevented. The boiler 3 has an opening in its top which is ordinarily covered by a lid or closure 13 and a jacket 14.- for steam or hot water to keep the centents at the proper temperature and maintain their fluidity. In the bottom of the boiler is a number of holes or outlet openings 15 extending transversely with respect to the planks or rails 2, and in the lower or outer face of the bottom is a channel which receives a slide 16 for similar outlet openings 17 WVhen the openings 15 and 17 register the syrup flows through the bottom into the cavities 8 of the tray 7 and when the openings 15 and 17 do not register the discharge of the syrup from the boiler can not take place. The jacket 14 will be provided with a drain cook 18 to enable the ,water for heating purposes to be exhausted from the acket 1 1. r

V The hopper 6 has a transverse opening in its bottom over which is placed a screen such as a piece of wire mesh 19. This bottom may slope from the front andrear end to Such a box or tray is placed upon the adjacent edges of the opening covered by the screen 19, if desired. I shall describe the means by which the openings 15 and 17 are made to register.

I fix to one of the rails 2 adjacent one end of the container-3, a support 20, which may preferably be a piece of angle iron, with the upper portion of its vertical web bent into horizontal position to enable it to carry a lever above guide 9, and this lever 21 will project over the guide and carry in its outer end a roller 22. This lever will be held against astop 23 on the support 20 by a spring 24, attached to the lever and to a projection 25 on the support, and the lever will carry on its upper face a pivot projection 26 which has a threaded bore therethrough to receive an eye bolt 27. This eye bolt is joined to a lever 28 which is pivotally mounted on the support 20 beside the lever 21 and connected by'a link 29 to a staple 30 joined to a dog or arm 31. This dog is also mounted on the support 20 but'is held in upright position on a pivot to one side of a post 32, which carries in its upper end a pivot or journal 33. To one end of this pivot is fastened an arm 34 carrying in its 'outer end a pivoted pawl 35. On the opposite side of the post 32, the journal 33 has an arm 36 connected by a link 37 to a bell crank lever 38, also pivotally mounted on the horizontal portion of the support 20, and having at one end a pin-and-slot connection with a bar joined to one end of the sliding valve 16. Thus whenever the journal 33 is moved to cause the arm 36 to pull upon the link 37, thereby operating the lever 38, it brings about a movement of the valve 16, this movement being downward with reference to Figure 4. Movement of the ournal 33 is produced by the tray striking the roller 22 and swinging the lever 21 around its pivot in the direction of travel of the tray; this lever 21 being pivoted at its end remote from the roller 22 to the support 20; and this swinging of the lever 21 exerts a thrust upon the bolt 27 and thus acts upon the lever 28 to push the lever 29 and staple 30 and thrust the dog 31 against the end of the pawl 35. Movement of the journal 33 is thus produced and the arm 36 pulls upon the link 37 to actuate the bell-crank lever 38. By this movement the outlet openings 15 and 17 will be brought into registry. The openings will be so proportioned that the syrup or cordial in the boiler, which is more or less viscous,

will not flow continuously through these openings but will pass out through same in particles or drops only. The journal 33 is also connected to a reciprocable rod 39 which to the upper face of the opposite rail is the rod 39. Through the rod 39 the journal 33 will be rotated; I The rod 39 is joined to the journal 33 by pinning the rod v to the arm 36, or to a separate arm on'the journal 33 similar tothe arm 36, and similarly located. When the projection 43 thrusts the rod 39 backward, the link 37 is pushed and moves the bellcrank 38 to draw the valve 16' upward, with reference to Figure 4, and close this valve by drawing the openings and 17 out of registry. The distance between the lever 42 and the transverse line of the openings 15 and 17will be about equal to the len th of a tray and as the front of the tray reac es the lever 42 and all of the cavities or molds 9 are filled with syrup, the bottom of the boiler will be closed and no further syrup will be dropped until the next succeeding tray engages the roller 22 and causes the cycle of operations to be repeated. I d

A block 44 is secured to the upper face of the rail 2 carrying the support and secured a pair of blocks 45, these blocks being mounted so that they rest upon the horizontal webs of the guides 9. To the inner face ofthe block 44 and to the inner face of the upper block 45 I secure a pair of guides 46; these guides being angleshaped in cross section and engaging the opposite sides of the frame 5, resting upon horizontal portions 47 of these guides, so that the frame can be moved towards and from the boiler 4. To the upper face of the block 44 and the upper face 'of the topmost block 45 I fasten the ends of a cross bar 48, which will carry in the middle a. bearing plate 49, through which extends a spindle 5O rigid with the frame 5 and being engaged by a spring 51 between the frame and the plate 49. This spring will act to move the frame towards the boiler. On the opposite side the frame is provided with a projection, 52 to be engaged by a ratchet or cam wheel 53 provided with a number of teeth. When the projection 52 is struck by the wheel 53 the frame 5 is moved. towards the bar 48 against the spring 51 and then released. Upon being released the frame is impelled by the spring 51 back towards the ratchet. Thus the frame and the hopper 6 are shaken or vibrated and the starch sifted through the opening 19. The frame will be held normally back against the force of the spring 51 but will be released to enable the ratchet 53 to play upon the projection 52 at the proper instant in a manner now to beset forth.

, A block 54 similar to the blocks 45', is

fixed to the upper face of" the same rail 2. and between adjacent uprights4.. :From the top of this block 54 extends an iron plate 55, secured to the top of this block 54 and extending over between. the upper and lower blocks 45. Near the endof this plate. and mounted thereon, is a pivoted lever 56, which extends across the adjacent guide 9 and carriesa pivotedlink57, passing between guide projections 58 on the upper face of the plate 55, away from the guide 9 and connected to an arm 59. This arm 59 engages a projection 60 on a vertical spindle 61, and above the projec-Q tion 60 the spindle 61 is also provided with a projection or arm- 62 to bear against a collar 63. On the upper face of the plate 55 is also pivotally secured a second lever 64. The collar 63 is rigid with a slidable.

sleeve 65;

To the uprights 4 are secured bearings 66supporting a shaft 67, on which the sleeve 64 is mounted. Thissshaft also car F1682. spring 68 to engage the collar 63, being between this collar and one of the bearings 66.

Whenever a tray is carried along the] rails 2 so that its forward end passes be neath the boiler 3 the front end of the tray will strike the lever 56. The lin'k'57 lis therefore pushed and the arm 59' forced against the projection 60 of thespindle 61. This arm also reacts against the lever 64 so that this lever is held with a roller on its end in front of the tray. As soon as the tray strikes the roller the lever'64 will actuate the arm 59, moving it against the projection 60, turning the spindle61 and making the projection 62 thereon force the collar 63 back against the spring 68. As a result, the sleeve 64 is moved, withdrawing a head 69 from engagement with the projection 52. The spring 51 then immediately iinpels the frame towards the ratchet 53, which, striking against the projection 52, cooperates with the spring 51, and the combined action of the ratchet and spring 51 briskly shakes the hopper 6 and the starch is sifted down through the opening covered by thescreen 19 upon the syrup in the molds, as described. As soon as the rear end of the tray passesthe roller 70 on the lever 64, the projection 62 is released and the. spring 68 is free to impel the sleeve 65 to move the head 69 in front of the projection 52 and to hold the frame backagainst the spring 51, out of reach of the ratchet The sifting of the starch then ceases and the next tray repeats the action. 1 i

The action of the lever 59 upon the arm 60 will be clear if one bears in mind the fact that this arm engages both the projection 60 and the lever 64. When the tray swin' s. the lever 56 to: one side this lever of the link 57 can only. take effect by causing the arm 59 to swing about its point of contact with the projection "60 and act upon the adjacent end ofthe lever 6&1 to

move theroller 70 more surely into the path of the tray. As soon, however, as the front end of the tray strikes the roller 70 7 it pushes this roller and the adjacent end of the lever 6-1 toone side out of its way,

andthe opposite end of the lever 64 then acts upon the adjacent end of the lever 59 V to move the projection 60 and thus turn the spindle 61 to make the projection 62 force back'the collar 63, the. opposite end of the lever 59 being then held fast by the link 57.

It will be obvious that with a' machine of the above described type candies comprising a core of syrupwith a coating of starch thereon can be manufacturedin large numbers and in very httle tnne. Such candies of course have to be dried or'seasoned for a period after the starch is sifted upon them and then can be coated with sugar or any other suitable matter in another apparatus;

The supports 1, which can'be of any suitable size or shape are provided with arms or brackets 71, which carry the rails 2. Between the supports 1 of the machine extends the shafts 72, turning in hearings in these supports and carrying the sprockets for the conveyor belt or chain 10. Cross pieces 73 connect the rails 2, and on these cross pieces is a longitudinal strip 74, under the upper section of the conveyor to prevent sagging of the conveyor and disengagement of the projections 11 with the trays 7. The supports 1 may have braces 75.

To ease the travel of the trays beneath the boiler and the hopper 6 I also mount shafts 76 beneath the rails 2, outside of crosspieces; 73, one of these shafts being located in advance of the boiler 3 and the other to the rear of the hopper 6. These shafts 76 bear sprocket wheels 77 which turn in slots 78 in the rails 2. These wheels actuate chains 79 in the slots 78, and between the slots 73 and chains 79 I may mount rollers 80. The trays engage both the chains 79 and the rollers 80, and thus friction is eliminated.

The shaft of the motor 12 carries a pulley or sprocket to engagea belt or chain 81, which runs to a similar pulley or wheel on one of the shafts 7 2 to actuate the conveyor 10. Likewise the shaft of the motor carries a second wheel or pulley from which runs a pulley or chain 82 to a similar wheel or pulley on the shaft 67, to operate the ratchet 53. Achain or belt 83 connects one of the shafts 72-to one of the shafts .76, to operate chains 79. r

The bottom of boiler 3 is provided with a screw 84: to abut-the end of thevalve 16, for purposes of adjustment. A gage 85 may be secured to the valve'to enable the position of'the valve 16' tobe indicated. Theiscrew 84 limits the movement of the valve when bringing the vents 15 and 17 into registry. 0f course I may adapt for the purpose of actuating the valve16, automatically operating parts different from those including lever 21, the member 39 and the connections between these parts and the valve itself and I may likewise use other. automatically actuating parts than those including the levers 5664:, the spindle 61, etc., for enabling the ratchet to affect the hopper and making the ratchet inoperative with regard to the hopper when desired. The disclosure is of course illustrative only and any alterations in the construction are permissible provided they still employ the principle of the invention.

As will be seen from Fig. 7 the pawl 35,

is a one-way pawl and remains rigid with V the arm 34 when'the dog 31 strikes it so as to turn the shaft 33 only when the dog is moved to the left with reference-to Fig. 7 as it is pushed by the link 29. Consequently when the dog 31 moves back to its original position it simply rubs past the lower end of the pawl 35 and does not give any movement in the opposite direction to the journal 33. Hence when the rear end of the tray 7, passes the roller 22 releasing the lever 21 the spring 24: can bring back the lever 21 and with it the dog 31 with out, in any way, affecting the position of the valve, which will not be shut until the forward end of the tray strikesthe lever arm 42. Pawl 35, gives this result because it is pivotally mounted in a recess in the outer end of the arm 34, and its upper end strikes the inner end of this recess and holds rigid when the dog 31 hits the pawl as this dog is pushed the link 29, but on the return movement of the dog the pawl swings on its pivot freely and lets the dog pass it,'as will be understood.

Having described my invention, what i believe to be new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United tates, is:

1. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a container for liquid, a sifter for puverized material and operating parts some of which project into the path of a tray movable with respect to saidcontainer and said sifter and are controlled by said tray, to-cause said container and said sifter to discharge into the tray as the latter passes the container and the sifter, and to cease to discharge after the tray has passed said container and said sifter.

2. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a container for liquid, a valve to enable the container to discharge said liquid, a lever, connections between said lever and said valve, a member extending from said connections to a point remote from same and an arm to engage the remote extremity of said member, said lever being operableby a tray movable to cause said container to open the valve and said arm also being operable by said tray to close the valve.

Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a hopper for pulverized material, a ratchet to affect said hopper and automatically actuated parts to enable said hopper to be affected by the ratchet and to hold said hopper out of operative position with respect to the ratchet. I

at. li'l'echanis-m for dispensing ingredients comprising a container for liquid, a sifter for pulverized material, and operating parts some of which project into the path of a tray movable with respect to said container and said sifter, and engageable by said tray adjacent said container and said sifter and at a point remote therefrom to cause the container and the sifter to discharge into the tray as it passes the container and Sifter and to cease discharging when the tray has passed the container and the sitter.

Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a container for liquid, a valve to enable the container to discharge said liquid, a lever mounted adjacent said con-- tainer, a second lever connected to the first lever, a dog connected to the second lever, an arm to be actuated by said dog, a third lever connected to the valve and a rod extending to a remote point, said third lever and said rod being connected to be movable in unison to open the valve when said arm is moved by said dog and a lever having a projection to engage the distant end of said rod to actuate said third lever to operate the valve back to closed position.

6. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients frame to be reciprocated, a spring engaging said frame, a head mounted to hold the frame in a iven osition a 'ainst the force of saidin P g spring and operable to release said frame, and a ratchet to cooperate with the spring and agitate the frame when the latter is released by said head.

7. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a hopper for pulverized material, a frame to carry said hopper, a spring to engage said frame, a sleeve carrying a head to maintain said frame in a given position against the force of the spring, a collar on said sleeve, a spring to engage said collar, an arm to engage the collar and a lever to actuate the arm tomove the sleeve and cause the head to release the hopper and a ratchet to cooperate with the spring and agitate the frame when released by said head.

8. Mechanism for dispensing ingredient-s comprising a hopper for pulverized material to be delivered to a tray and automatically operating parts actuated by said tray upon relative movement of the tray and the'hopper to cause the hopper to be agitated to discharge into the tray.

9. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a container for liquid, a hopper for pulverized material, said container and said hopper being mounted to deliver-their contents to a tray in succession and automatically operating parts to be actuated by the tray upon relative movement of the tray, to cause the container and hopper to discharge their contents into the tray.

10. Mechanism for dispensing ingredients comprising a sitter for pulverized material, a rotatable ratchet wheel to actuate thesifter and cause the same to discharge into a movable tray, and parts controlled by the tray whereby the sifter is actuated only when the tray is moving past same,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 10th day of July, 1920. i

LUIGI DONOFRIO. 

